Suddenly, I saw Cathayan saying "IM names should still be recognizable." This reminded me of the recent difficulties colleagues have had searching for names on MSN Messenger. I think it would be better to write a blog post about my own thoughts.
MSN Messenger is still quite useful if you're willing to spend a bit of time setting it up, hmm. Instant messaging tools should enhance productivity rather than waste time. Here's a summary of my nine habits that might help you. Of course, most of these habits can be applied to other tools as well, and are not limited to MSN Messenger.